


A Deadly Mistake?

by Five_star_hellhole



Category: Cassandra Palmer Series - Karen Chance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-13
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2019-03-17 21:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13667853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Five_star_hellhole/pseuds/Five_star_hellhole
Summary: Fred makes a mistake and it may cost him his life. One shot.





	A Deadly Mistake?

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Emberfaye](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Emberfaye).



Pritkin held his gaze, peering deep into his soul with his bloodshot eyes. “Probably to tear it out” Fred thought as Pritkin slowly reached a hand passed him towards the tiny coffee filters Fred had just tried to use to make coffee. The expensive coffee maker had been the Consul’s, its gleaming chrome and jet black coloration was now splattered with coffee as the grounds clogged the delicate components causing the liquid to spill through every opening. The sound of hissing from steam escaping seemed more like a shrill alarm, or maybe that was his survival instinct sounding off in his head. Moments passed as he stood completely still while Pritkin reached passed him, never breaking eye contact, and delicately grabbed the remaining filters with two fingers. Still never looking away from him, Pritkin slowly and methodically tore the filters into tiny strips of paper with his index fingers and thumbs, moving his hands in a deliberate and controlled manner. The sound of filters tearing made Fred want to step back, but there was nowhere to go as the counter bumped up against his back. He could feel the still hot coffee soaking into his shirt.

By the time the filters had been torn and nothing usable was left the steam had finally stopped whistling, leaving him alone in a silent room with a warmage still in his workout sweats and jogging shirt, the stench of his BO long ago had made Fred stop breathing to avoid it. He had no idea what to do. The crazy man was less than two feet from him, just staring him down with a finger twitching at his side as if even he was unsure what the next step was, then again it was his trigger finger, maybe he did know what he wanted to do. The fact that the mage hadn’t blinked during this entire ordeal was really starting to freak Fred out.

“You should have known better, Fred” Cassie said from the door, still in her pajamas with her hair all tussled, baring witness. “No one makes the coffee but Pritkin. Now what are we going to do?” She said in between yawns.

“I was just trying to be nice!” Fred squeaked. 

“Nice doesn’t bring back the coffee maker you murdered, Fred.” Pritkin said, still not having moved.

"I can go get coffee… from the hotel lounge! It will just be a minute!”  
“Does it look like you have a minute, Fred?” Cassie said from the door as she tried to suppress her smile.

He turned big doe eyes to her, “Please?”  
Pritkin snorted before nodding. “Three large 16oz espressos.” 

“They only come in 4oz size….” Fred whispered, his voice trailing off with the narrowing of Pritkin’s eyes.

“Now. Fred. Only 50 seconds remaining.” Pritkin grumbled at him. Fred dashed passed him, running far faster than he ever had. Faster than when he tried to outrun a dragon, faster than when the dark circle attacked. He knew when he was outmatched. 

Back up in the hotel room, Pritkin leaned his head back and sighed, Cassie sauntered over to him. “Someone having the shakes yet?” She quipped at him. He grunted in reply without straightening his neck or opening his eyes.

“How long do you think before he remembers the cafe is closed?” Pritkin said with a small smirk, still not looking at her.

“Oh a good minute or so, then he’ll go dashing down the street trying to find something before finally remembering we have the spare drip coffee maker in that cabinet over there.” Cassie said as she pointed with a tilt of her head. 

Pritkin gave a small chuckle, finally straightening up and looking at her. “You’re meaner than I am.”

“I don’t know about that.” Cassie said. “But it was definitely fun seeing you intimidate our poor accountant.”

“I thought he was your bodyguard, remember?” Pritkin joked, knowing full well Fred was much better with the paperwork side of the Pythian court and not the defense of it.

“Well, maybe not today.” Cassie whispered as she wrapped her arms around him from behind. "He is definitely not our barista, though.” 

Pritkin could feel her smirk as she leaned against him and pulled him closer, nuzzling his back as she did. He raised his right hand and touched where her’s intertwined on his stomach before twisting around and holding her tightly against him. Once she was in his arms, he settled them back against the counter, enjoying their few seconds alone with each other. He rubbed his cheek against the top of her head, enjoying the time out, even if the spilled coffee was soaking through his shirt and sticking to his back. “Oh well. he didn’t mind”, he thought, he had something much better to distract him than the coffee.


End file.
